Patients’ Self-Report and Handwriting Performance Features as Indicators for Suspected Mild Cognitive Impairment in Parkinson’s Disease

Early identification of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) in Parkinson’s disease (PD) patients can lessen emotional and physical complications. In this study, a cognitive functional (CF) feature using cognitive and daily living items of the Unified Parkinson’s Disease Rating Scale served to define PD patients as suspected or not for MCI. The study aimed to compare objective handwriting performance measures with the perceived general functional abilities (PGF) of both groups, analyze correlations between handwriting performance measures and PGF for each group, and find out whether participants’ general functional abilities, depression levels, and digitized handwriting measures predicted this CF feature. Seventy-eight participants diagnosed with PD by a neurologist (25 suspected for MCI based on the CF feature) completed the PGF as part of the Daily Living Questionnaire and wrote on a digitizer-affixed paper in the Computerized Penmanship Handwriting Evaluation Test. Results indicated significant group differences in PGF scores and handwriting stroke width, and significant medium correlations between PGF score, pen-stroke width, and the CF feature. Regression analyses indicated that PGF scores and mean stroke width accounted for 28% of the CF feature variance above age. Nuances of perceived daily functional abilities validated by objective measures may contribute to the early identification of suspected PD-MCI.

Comparison of intrinsic capacity factors in older individuals before and during COVID-19 in the context of healthy ageing in Baltic Countries

The COVID-19 in the context of healthy ageing is associated with decline in body functional abilities and serious illness in older individuals. Regular assessment of ageing processes, including intrinsic capacity factors, provides an opportunity for better understanding of the individual’s functional abilities and vulnerabilities. Based on the data (2017–2020) from two waves (7 and 8) of the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE), an evaluation and comparison of the intrinsic capacity factors of older individuals (50+ years) before and during COVID-19 was conducted, including data from 4422 individuals in Baltic countries (from Latvia – 648, Lithuania – 1079 and Estonia – 2695). Excellent or very good health status before the outbreak reported 35.3% respondents in Latvia, 54.9% in Lithuania and 45.3% in Estonia (p < 0.001). On worsened health status since the outbreak reported 7% respondents in Latvia, 13.8% in Lithuania and 5.9% in Estonia (p < 0.001). Feeling of nervousness, depression and loneliness during COVID-19 outbreak increased among all respondents, regardless of nationality and severity of symptoms before outbreak (p < 0.001). The results indicate that during COVID-19 outbreak respondents were experiencing deterioration in cognitive and psychological health. To maintain the level of individual’s functional abilities during situations like COVID-19 outbreak preventive actions are needed by promoting physical activities and social networks, especially for older individuals.

MORPHOLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS AND FUNCTIONAL ABILITIES IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL STUDENTS

The main aim of the study is to establish whether there are any differences in growth and development of functional abilities between boys and girls. For the evaluation of functional abilities, growth and development in students the following parameters have been used: height, body mass, body mass index, vital lung capacity, resting heart rate, active heart rate and modified Harvard step test index. The results of multivariate analysis (MANOVA) have shown that there is no statistically significant difference between male and female students. A statistically significant difference has been found by means of univariate analysis of variance (ANOVA) in active hearth rate variables (F=8.36; p=.004) and modified Harvard step test index (F=6.67; p=.011) in favor of male students. Comparing the results obtained in the earlier and recent studies it can be concluded that the current physical exercise program does not produce desired results, furthermore it does not contribute nor does it improve functional abilities of male and female younger elementary school students.

The Effect of Intensive Training Program On The Development of Some Motor, Physical, Functional Abilities and Fighting Efficiency Of Special Iraqi Forces

The researcher aimed at identifying the effect of a training program on the development of fighting efficiency. The researchers used the experimental method on (32) fighters from the Iraqi special forces. The researcher designed special training that develops some functional and physical abilities as well as the fighting efficiency of Iraqi forces fighters. The program is applied for two months with (22) training sessions in a month with 5 – 6 sessions per week. The data was collected and treated using proper statistical operations to come up with conclusions.

Neuropsychiatric symptoms are associated with exacerbated cognitive impairment in covert cerebral small vessel disease

Background and purpose: Neuropsychiatric symptoms are related to disease progression and cognitive decline over time in cerebral small vessel disease (SVD) but their significance is poorly understood in covert SVD. We investigated neuropsychiatric symptoms and their relationships between cognitive and functional abilities in subjects with varying degrees of white matter hyperintensities (WMH), but without clinical diagnosis of stroke, dementia or significant disability. Methods: The Helsinki Small Vessel Disease Study consisted of 152 subjects, who underwent brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and comprehensive neuropsychological evaluation of global cognition, processing speed, executive functions and memory. Neuropsychiatric symptoms were evaluated with the Neuropsychiatric Inventory Questionnaire (NPI-Q, n=134) and functional abilities with the Amsterdam Instrumental Activities of Daily Living questionnaire (A-IADL, n=132), both filled in by a close informant. Results: NPI-Q total score correlated significantly with WMH volume (rs=0.20, p=0.019) and inversely with A-IADL score (rs=-0.41, p<0.001). In total, 38% of the subjects had one or more informant evaluated neuropsychiatric symptoms. Linear regressions adjusted for age, sex and education revealed no direct associations between neuropsychiatric symptoms and cognitive performance. However, there were significant synergistic interactions between neuropsychiatric symptoms and WMH volume on cognitive outcomes. Neuropsychiatric symptoms were also associated with A-IADL score irrespective of WMH volume. Conclusions: Neuropsychiatric symptoms are associated with an accelerated relationship between WMH and cognitive impairment. Furthermore, the presence of neuropsychiatric symptoms is related to worse functional abilities. Neuropsychiatric symptoms should be routinely assessed in covert SVD as they are related to worse cognitive and functional outcomes.

Optimizing Evaluation of Older Adults With Vision and/or Hearing Loss Using the interRAI Community Health Assessment and Deafblind Supplement

Purpose: Service providers must identify and assess older adults who have concurrent vision and hearing loss, or dual sensory impairment (DSI). An assessment tool suitable for this purpose is the interRAI Community Health Assessment (CHA) and its Deafblind Supplement. This study's goal was to explore this assessment's administration process and to generate suggestions for assessors to help them optimize data collection.Methods: A social worker with experience working with adults who have sensory loss, who was also naïve to the interRAI CHA, administered the assessment with 200 older adults (65+) who had visual and/or hearing loss. The assessor evaluated the utility of the instrument for clinical purposes, focusing on sections relevant to identifying/characterizing adults with DSI.Results: Suggestions include the recommendation to ask additional questions regarding the person's functional abilities. This will help assessors deepen their understanding of the person's sensory status. Recommendations are also provided regarding sensory impairments and rehabilitation, in a general sense, to help assessors administer the interRAI CHA.Conclusions: Suggestions will help assessors to deepen their knowledge about sensory loss and comprehensively understand the assessment's questions, thereby allowing them to optimize the assessment process and increase their awareness of sensory loss in older adults.

Factors Associated With Deficient Housing Among Community-Living Older Adults in the United States

Housing quality is a recognized social determinant of health. Qualitative evidence suggests the ability of older adults to maintain their homes is affected by the domains of financial resources, social environment, and functional abilities, but this conceptualization has not been tested quantitatively. This cross-sectional study examined associations between financial resources (indicated by socioeconomic characteristics: education, racial-status, annual income, financial hardship, Medicaid eligibility), social environment (living arrangement, social integration), and functional abilities (lower extremity performance, self-care disability, independent-living disability, homebound-status, dementia, depression) with deficient housing among 6,489 community-living adults ≥ 65 years participating in the nationally representative 2015 National Health and Aging Trends Study. Sampling weights accounted for study design and non-response. An estimated 9.2% (3.2 million) older Americans lived in housing with ≥1 deficiency (any peeling paint, evidence of pests, flooring in disrepair, broken windows, crumbling foundation, missing siding, or roof problems). In bivariate logistic regressions, factors from all three domains were associated with deficient housing. In a multivariable model that included all variables above and adjusted for age and sex, indicators of financial resources and social environment remained associated with deficient housing (including financial hardship, adjusted odds ratio (aOR)=1.48, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.10,1.98; and living with non-spousal others versus alone, aOR=1.48; 95% CI:1.09, 2.03), whereas indicators of functional abilities did not. To ensure quality housing for all community-dwelling older adults, efforts that increase financial resources and further examine the role of social environment in deficient housing are needed.

Feeding stimulates functional abilities of queen bees of the Carpathian subspecies

The researches were conductedon queen bees of the Carpathian subspecies in conditions of Tajikistan. Four groups of similar families were formed, 10 in each group. In the control group, sugar syrup (1:2) was given as a stimulating feeding, in small portions of 700 ml. Bees of the first experimental group were fed with the sugar syrup, with the addition of drone larvas’ homogenate. The second group was fed with the sugar syrup with addition of a feed mixture “Similak”, the third group - sugar syrup with the addition of a compositional form consisting of a feed mixture “Similak” and the drone larvas’ homogenate. In the experimental groups, in contrast to the control group, an increase in the egg production of queen bees and the brood breeding reflex by 1.3-1.44 times was found.In general, it has been established that to stimulate the physiological processes in bee’ organism, growth and development of colonies in spring, it is necessary to use stimulating feeding by sugar syrup in combination with drone larvas’ homogenate and feed mixture “Similak” 700 ml each.

Autonomic Modulation in Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy During a Computer Task: A Prospective Transversal Controlled Trial Assessment by Non-linear Techniques

Introduction: Due to functional and autonomic difficulties faced by individuals with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD), the use of assistive technology is critical to provide or facilitate functional abilities. The key objective was to investigate acute cardiac autonomic responses, by application of Heart Rate Variability (HRV), during computer tasks in subjects with DMD via techniques based on non-linear dynamics.Method: HRV was attained via a Polar RS800CX. Then, was evaluated by Chaotic Global Techniques (CGT). Forty-five male subjects were included in the DMD group and age-matched with 45 in the healthy Typical Development (TD) control group. They were assessed for 20 min at rest sitting, and then 5 min whilst performing the maze task on a computer.Results: Both TD and DMD subjects exhibited a significantly reduced HRV measured by chaotic global combinations when undertaking the computer maze paradigm tests. DMD subjects presented decreased HRV during rest and computer task than TD subjects.Conclusion: While there is an impaired HRV in subjects with DMD, there remains an adaptation of the ANS during the computer tasks. The identification of autonomic impairment is critical, considering that the computer tasks in the DMD community may elevate their level of social inclusion, participation and independence.